For purposes of this application, the invention is discussed in reference to mounting components, otherwise referred to herein as accessories, to the surface of water vessels, but the discussion with respect to surfaces of water vessels is merely exemplary. The invention is applicable to attaching any component to any surface, for example, surfaces of a trailer, automobile, aircraft, recreational vehicle, snowboard, residential and commercial structures, or even a wall, cabinet, refrigerator, and shower to name a few.
There are a variety of accessories used on water vessels. Water vessels include, for example, power boat, yacht, caravel, pontoon, rowboat, canoe, sailboat, jet ski dredge, catamaran, ferry, submarine, and tugboat, to name a few.
Types of accessories used on water vessels include electronic, recreational, and craft. Electronic accessories include digital devices, portable devices, such as audio players, vhf and satellite radio, global positioning system (GPS), fish and depth finders, camera and video mounts, safety items such as Emergency Position Indicating Radio Beacon (EPIRB), and personal GPS, radar, etc. Recreational accessories include dive tank, fishing rod and reel, tackle box, spear gun, tow bar, ice chest, fillet table, cutting board, trolling motor, gimbal mounts, etc. Craft accessories include boarding ladder, handle, clips, sea chair, light, bumper, buoy, marker buoy, eyelet, carabineer, cleat, handle, clamps and straps, which can be used to hold gaffs, nets and other poles, for example.
Accessories, or components, are attached to the vessel, typically using adhesives or hardware such as screws, nails, rivets, or bolts that require drilling holes in the vessel to allow for secure attachment of accessories. This disrupts the surface of the vessel. With the loss of the surface integrity, the surface can be weakened.
A demand therefore exists for a mounting system that is easily movable, can withstand or support heavy loads, does not require permanent alteration of the mounting surface by using adhesives, drilling holes or tapping screws and does not require hardware to be affixed to the surface. As an example, with respect to a marine environment, a demand exists for a mounting system for water vessel accessories that does not compromise, but maintains the integrity of a water vessel surface. The invention satisfies these demands.